Another fire broke out at Glendale Road in Johnston County just after 4 p.m.

Crews in northern Sampson County doused flames off Highway 55, and in Wake County, crews spotted a fire near a construction site.

No one was hurt and no homes were evacuated.

The North Carolina Division of Forest Resources said the ban on burning took effect at noon Thursday. It will remain in effect until conditions improve.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning Thursday for all counties east of the North Carolina mountains. Forecasters said humidity levels will fall to less than 25 percent and sustained winds will reach at least 20 mph. Those conditions can quickly fan and spread outdoor fires.

The Division of Forest Resources said more than 1,800 wildfires have already burned 18,248 acres in 2008.